Oil Changes for Beginners

Your car needs oil changes, but do you know what that is?

You like having a running engine right? Then oil changes are a necessity.

Recently @BowTiedFawn, our Jungle skincare expert (she is very helpful, especially if you’re a greasy boy) reached out to me about oil changes. She had not yet learned about them and figured maybe ol’ GreaseMonkey could give her the low down.

I’m always here to help and figured why not do a substack about it so everyone could learn with her.

Oil changes are the first and most important basic maintenance need for every vehicle. Today we are going to take a look at what an oil change is and why you need to keep up on them.

Oil changes are necessary because over time, as the oil travels through your engine, it will pick up dirt and debris, and begin to “break down.” Water vapors and contaminants will degrade the oil, leaving it less effective at lubricating the moving parts in your engine.

Oil filters help extend the oil life, but it is still necessary to change your oil to prevent damage to moving internal engine parts or sludge buildup which hinders performance and efficiency.

Oil

Oil is a fluid made from crude oil, or synthetic blends of oils, with additives to reduce friction and clean your engine. Depending on your car and climate, the type of oil needed will change.

Oil is read as a number, for example, 5w30, or 0w20. These numbers are viscosity readings. 5w30 means the oil has a viscosity of 5 when it is cold and 30 when it is warmed to engine operating temperatures.

The easy way to think of this is the W stands for winter, so cold. It was once common to put heavier oil into the engine for summer oil changes and lighter oils for the winter.

This isn’t necessary with multigrade oils such as 5w30 and 0w20, one oil will suit you year-round, barring insane winters.

Oil Filter

The oil filter is also changed out when you go to get your oil changed (or do it yourself.)

The oil filter is often a metal screw-on which resembles a jar. Inside the jar are passages and a paper-like material that prevent any debris or metal flakes from re-entering the engine.

Some modern vehicles have a canister-style filter, which is basically the inside of a spin-on filter, but it sits in a special housing on the engine.

How Often Are Oil Changes Needed?

It was once common to get your oil changed every 3 months or 3,000 miles, whichever came first.

These days many manufacturers recommend every 5 months or 5,000 miles. Some vehicles can go up to 7 or 10 months and 7k or 10k miles. Check your owner’s manual or a quick google search of your year, make and model can give you the answer for your specific car.

Newer vehicles often have an oil life monitoring system as well. This system will count down the miles and time, along with engine hours since the last oil change. When you get close to needing an oil change the car will illuminate a light on your dash, or have a pop-up message informing you an oil change is needed.

If you are interested in changing your own oil, feel free to comment below or hit me up on Twitter @BowTiedGreaseMonkey and we can get you set up with the tools, parts, and know-how to get the job done.

Until next time, Stay Greasy y’all.